Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of mental illness and ableism.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Have you read any other popular “romantasy” books, like Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses or Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing? If so, how does this novel compare with others in its genre? If not, are you interested in reading more from this genre?

2. How does this novel compare with others that depict magical or fantastic competitions—for instance, Sarah J. Mass’s Throne of Glass, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, or Stephanie Garber’s Caraval? What does the element of competition add to the plot of Phantasma, and does it serve a similar function in these other works?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Ophelia struggles with the burden of legacy. Have you ever felt pressured to live up to a family member’s legacy? What (if anything) do you find unique about this type of social expectation?

2. Phantasma makes Ophelia reckon with what she desires for the trajectory of her life.